Santa Marina (Córdoba) Facts for Kids

A beautiful view of Santa Marina Church.

Santa Marina is a historic church located in Córdoba, Spain. It's one of the special "Fernandinean Churches." These churches were built in Córdoba after King Ferdinand III of Castile took control of the city in 1236. Santa Marina mixes different old building styles. You can see early Gothic, Mudéjar, and a bit of late Romanesque designs in its structure.

History of Santa Marina Church
- Building the Church
- Restorations and Changes
Exploring Santa Marina Church
Gallery
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History of Santa Marina Church

Building the Church

Santa Marina is one of the oldest churches from the Fernandinean group. It was built in the late 1200s. The church stands on a very old spot. Before the church, there was a mosque here. Even before that, in the 600s, a Visigothic church stood on the same site. Today, none of those older buildings can be seen.

Restorations and Changes

On June 23, 1880, a fire damaged the church. It took two years to repair it. More repairs happened in the 1800s and 1900s. During these times, workers removed newer, fancy additions. They wanted to bring back the church's original medieval look. These additions were put in after earthquakes in 1680 and 1755.

Since 1931, Santa Marina Church has been a national monument. This means it's a very important historical building.

Exploring Santa Marina Church

Church Layout and Design

The church has a rectangular shape, like a long box. Inside, it's divided into a main area called a nave. There are also two side areas called aisles. The nave is much taller than the aisles. Large pointed arches separate the aisles from the main nave.

Outside the Church

The front of the church has four large, uneven supports called buttresses. These supports end in pointed tops called pinnacles. They show where the nave and aisles are separated inside. You can also see a big round window, called a rose window, in the center. There are smaller round windows too. The main entrance has a pointed arch with a special frame around it called an alfiz. The left side of the church has another entrance. It has a triangular arch above it.

Inside Features

The back parts of the church, called apses, are shaped like polygons. In the right aisle, there's a sacristy. This is a room where priests prepare for services. It was built in the 1400s. The apse on the left side was changed in 1630. It became a fancy Baroque chapel. The church's bell tower was built in the 1500s.

The main altar, called a "retablo," has beautiful paintings. These were created by an artist named Antonio del Castillo. There are also sculptures by a local artist, Gómez de Sandoval.